Layla's Tagine

Tagine is another common Moroccan food. It seems to be a hybrid between a stew and a slow-cooker meal. Absolutely delicious, easy and serves quite a few. North African comfort food!

Tagine, the dish, is named for the pottery vessel in which it is sometimes cooked (usually for fewer than 12, though), the function of which is similar to a dutch oven, but it is used on stove top instead of in the oven. It's a common food here and the recipes vary to include all kinds of meats, fish, veggies and sometimes grains such as rice. The photo above is a lamb and date tagine, a traditional form. In some of the restaurants here wishing to cater to travelers, you may find ingredients such as french fries piled on top of the meat and veggies, though!

Even though it's not a common food in the states, you can purchase more technically-advanced variations made by reliable companies such as LeCruset. The recipe below is suggested to be cooked in a large pot (similar to a stock pot, but wider), due to the volume of ingredients. It can, of course, be cut down.

2 1/2 Kilo (K) chicken or beef (1 Kilo = 2.2 Pounds)

3 chopped onions

1 tomato peeled, grated

1 head minced or shredded garlic

12 stems corriander (cilantro) chopped

1 teaspoon Moroccan saffron

2 tablespoons black pepper

2 1/2 tablespoons powdered ginger

Salt, to taste

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup olive oil

1/2 cup water

Boil all above ingredients in large pot for 15-20 minutes. Then add:

10 medium carrots, peeled and sliced

10 medium white turnips, peeled and sliced

5 medium potatoes, peeled and sliced

10 small zucchini, sliced

Add water to reach just above the level of the ingredients. Simmer on medium to high heat for about 1 hour. Serve with bread.

Serves ~ 12